If At First You Don't Succeed
by Topazia
Summary: Relationships can be a tricky thing, especially when you don't know what the hell you're doing. Despite it all, Sora mustered up all his courage with full intent to confess to Riku. Unfortunately nothing ever goes as planned. It rarely does. SoraRiku yaoi
1. Chapter 1: Confession

Topazia: oh god, how long as it been? This is something that has been nagging me for a while now. I find many good stories about Sora and Riku! However, I noticed that in most of the stories I find, the sex/romance/relationship just kinda happens. Hmm...that doesn't sound right. I think all Relationships just kinda happen. lol I suppose what I'm trying to say is that this is a story about two boys going through the normal trials and errors of their first relationship. *grins* They'll mess up, become embarrassed, be curious, and various other things.

I know there will be grammar mistakes and for that I apologize. I'm simply a fan writing Fiction and nothing more. Enjoy *Bows* :3

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><p><em><strong>Chapter One: Confession<strong>_

Sora's mind was racing and his thoughts were scattered. All the beginnings of intelligent thought ended the same; horribly with no sound conclusion to ease his worries. Every time he begin to think things through in his mind, his logic shot his imagination down like a plane in enemy territory. To put things simple, his imagination was at the moment, his worse enemy.

It was a sunny day on Destiny Islands, the island where it all began seemingly so long ago. Like most days it was incredibly sunny. The temperature seemed in conflict with itself, ranging from unbearably hot to comfortably warm depending on the direction of wind and clouds overhead. Their childhood playground had not changed at all. The waves still lapped lazily against the white shore. The waterfall near their 'special place' created a soft musical ambiance that blended in with the sound of birds, wind, and ocean like beautiful music. It was always like that. The only difference was that the sound of children playing had become scarce. It was only natural though. They were no longer the same children that raced along the warm sand until the sun sank below the horizon. They were quickly approaching young adult hood; at least that what some of the adults on the main island called it.

Despite the fact that they were slowly changing, Sora took comfort in one thing. This place, the island, and all of their found memories on it would never change. The waves would continue to caress the shore. The sea breeze would always greet their bodies fondly. The waterfall would continue to sing and their secret place would continue to tell stories of childish adventures cast in scribbled chalk.

He swallowed carefully, crossing the sand until he met with the small shed that would carry him to the bridge and Riku's island. "I can do this right?" he muttered to the old room. Taking a deep breath, he inhaled the thick sent of sand and wood. "I've traveled to different worlds, literally defeated thousands of heartless, and took down a entire evil organization! This should be easy compared to that!" He nodded confidently, only to release that same vigorous confidence with the breath he had been holding. "Who am I kidding? Facing heartless right about now would be hella easier."

Sora trudged on, ascending the stairs slowly until he reached the door that would lead back outside again. With a gentle push and a creak the door gave way, allowing the light to flood from outside. His eyes adjusted in pieces. First the sky came into few, then the trees. Next came the bridge and the island that it connected too. Finally, last but not least was Riku.

He sat in his usual spot, staring out into sea. As younger children the elder boy constantly stared from this perch, fueled by some strange obsession to see other worlds. Now he stared just to take in the view. Sometimes you never really appreciated the world's beauty until you saw it nearly destroyed and wiped from existence. Something told Sora that Riku would appreciate this second chance for the rest of his life.

"Okay!" the brunette nodded. "This is it; the perfect chance!" He footsteps sounded thunderously loud, echoing in his ears just like his pounding heart beat. He had so many things on the tip of his tongue that he needed to get out. There were so many ways that he could express himself, all of which were practiced repeatedly in front of a mirror back at home. All he had to do was position himself in front of Riku and left the emotion fall from his lips like rain. Or so he thought.

When he finally reached the end of the bridge and his feet hit the soft grass he froze again. His confidence was failing and fast. Had he always been such a coward? Why was it that battles of the heart hurt more than normal battles? The sound of Riku's humming reached him as if carried on the wind and he swallowed. The older boy's hair blew behind him like a curtain of beautiful silver tinsel. His pose was casual and relaxed against the tree. It was certainly breathtaking. Today he sported a wine red shirt covered by a black sleeveless vest and khaki pants.

After a final moment of hesitation Sora began moving closer again. "Hey Riku, I have something I wanted to talk about an-" he paused, head tilting curiously. He caught glimpses of red conflicting with Riku's pale skin and hair. A audience was not something he had calculated into his pep talks. This wasn't good at all.

"So I was thinking that I would get you two to gather a few things for me like the old days." A melodious voice piped.

Riku turned slowly, blinking long lashes in Sora's direction. "Oh, hey." he smiled lazily. "What's up?"

The brunette gaped a few times before furiously shaking his head. "Oh it's nothing important!" he stammered nervously, dismissively waving his hand about in the air." Really! In fact, I forgot what I was going to say all together!" A soft chuckle and the nervous scratching of the back of his hair pieced together the rest of his goofy act. Riku tilted his head curiously. Sometimes having such perceptive friends was a curse.

"That's so like you." Kairi smiled, stepping into view. She was much smaller than Riku, so it was only natural that her smaller frame would be eclipsed by his. Her hair was a vibrant red that framed her face and neck like a veil framed a bride. It was a nice look for a princess, or at least Sora thought so. She was a incredibly innocent being, like most princesses of heart. Her face always carried a patient smile; unless you were teasing her anyway. She went from pretty princess to a demolishing demon in a instant in those particular situations. "I was just telling Riku that it would be nice to have a small party on the beach."

"A party?" he repeated.

"Yeah, little miss royalty wants us to be her lapdogs again, like the old days." Riku grinned.

She frowned putting her hands on her hips. "You don't have to do it you know! I just thought it would be nice to do something for everyone." The agitation in her voice was not yet great enough to be dangerous. Riku knew his limits.

Sora exchanged a shy glance between the two of his oldest, and closet friends in exsistence. Riku's teasing and Kairi's sensitivity were always amusing but at the same time it was amazing how well they complimented each other. He was tall and muscular while she was petite in every way. Her heart was filled with pure like while Riku's heart had tasted the depths of darkness and won. Kairi was the one who saw Riku for what he truly was in the Land that Never Was. She saw his heart, not just his appearance. All Sora saw was old memories from battles past and a target at first. So perhaps the two were some kind of made for each other. "What do you need us to do?" he muttered after a moment

Kairi's face lit up like a lamp. "I was thinking that we could catch some fish to grill on the beach. I was going to leave that to you guys while I gathered fruit!"

The two boys exchanged looks. "Alright," Riku nodded, "we'll do it. When did you want us to be done?"

"I figured we could start just before the sun started setting. That way it will still be light out and it won't be as hot. If I can get the others involved this could be something big."

"Yeah, another precious memory between friends." Riku slid from the tree, landing on his feet so he could stretch. "Alright, let's get started. We'll all meet by the shore when we're done."

The redhead nodded, beginning a slow trot across the bridge. "Good luck guys, I know you can do it!"

Sora smiled and begin to turn away, heading back the way he came. He wasn't the best at catching fish, but he would at least give it his best. "And where do you think you're going?" He paused turning to meet Riku's steady gaze.

"Ah, the fish? I figured that I would get started."

The older boy shrugged. "True, but don't you think you should warm up first? I can help you know." He began to stalk around the small island like a lion that had cornered a gazelle. Sora watched him carefully, captivated by his movements. He was always a graceful thing, even more so now. When he got into a battle like state it was like watching something fluid move. "Like the old times? This one will decide the championship."

The brunette chuckled. "The last one was supposed to decide the championship, and the one before that, and the one before that." He flexed his hand at his side, concentrating until the warmth began to build in the center of his palm and the keyblade filled his hand like the comfortable weight of a old friend.

In a mirror action, Riku's blade materialized in his hand as if it were spun from the fabric of darkness itself. The two faced each other for a moment and then connected in the center of the tiny island, blades resonating in the summer heat. This was one of those moments that they shared regularly. It was a point where their hearts could connect without words and their worries could fade, replaced with the thrills of friendly battle. There was nothing to save, no hearts to release; it was just a friendly sparring match.

Months of practice had honed Sora into a decent fighter. Combining with his nobody had made him even more powerful. While Sora alone made his attacks hit, Roxas' natural ability made them quick and accurate. However, Riku's experience traversing through the world of light and dark made him a formidable foe. The silver haired teen was quick, often weaving in and out of Sora's blind spot to deliver powerful attacks to whatever body spot he saw fit. Sora's retaliations were just as powerful. Needless to say the pair were evenly matched. Their grunts filled the afternoon air, followed by the clashing of weapons.

Riku spun out of the way, bringing his leg out to swipe Sora's feet from under him. The brunette spilled to the ground face first, laying in the grass stunned for a moment. When he finally did roll over he found the dark keyblade pointed at his neck.

"That's check and mate."

"That's cheating." the younger boy grumbled.

"In a battle? I don't think so, you're just mad because you didn't think of it." Riku extended his hand to his fallen friend. The brunette took it gratefully and stood on his feet. "So what was it you wanted to talk about earlier?"

He flushed, eyes falling to the ground. "I'm sure it will come to me later. Shouldn't we go get the-" He trailed off. "What are you doing?"

"I'm 'bout to go fishing, what does it look like?" Riku slowly slipped his jacket off and laid it across the trunk of the tree. Next came his shirt, he gripped the bottom, tugging it lightly so that it peeled away from his body like a curtain revealing a surprise. When he was done his hair was tousled, and his upper body was bare. His body was a model of muscular perfection. He was the perfect balance, not too buff, but muscular enough so that his strength would show depending on how he flexed and moved. "Coming?" He grinned over his shoulder a final time before diving into the sea below.

After a moment Sora removed his top and followed suit, diving into the water. At first it was a shock to the system. The cold hit his skin with a sudden fierceness that made him yelp when he rose for air. Riku surfaced nearby laughing. The two splashed at each other, tossing water around without a care. "You think you're real funny don't you?"

"Very!" the silver haired teen grinned, whipping the hair from his eyes. "Now this can go by real easy if we add a little special touch."

"Special touch?" he repeated.

A fish jumped a few yards away, caught in the waves. "There!" the elder boy pointed. "What makes that fish fall back into the water?"

After a moment Sora's face lit up. "I see where you're going. But will they still be there when I swim over?"

Riku shrugged. "Well there's a possibility that your face will scare them away but that's normal."

"Hey!"

Riku laughed, a rich sound that made heat rush to his face. It was like the joy you could receive from sucking on a piece of rich chocolate. "Come on, I got a plan, get on my back and I'll get you in the air.

Sora swam over, moving behind his friend until he was positioned directly behind him. The muscles in Riku's back flexed gently from his expert swimming. But then again the boy had always been good at swimming. He had the urge to trace the muscles with his fingers, in fact he found himself downright distracted by the very same need..

"Sora?"

He blinked a few times, rubbing at his eyes before grinning. "Sorry, my mind went somewhere else for a moment."

"That's not surprising at all."

"Oh shut it." Sora climbed on Riku's back, the boy's strong arms, grabbed at his legs to brace him against the ocean's ever churning waves. After a moment Riku began to bob in the water, continuing until he got the momentum to launch the brunette into the air.

He yelped, flailing carelessly as he begin to fall back into the water again. The sound of Riku's laughter was both embarrassing and agitating. "You jackass!" However the sensation of his body smacking the water's surface never came. He looked around curiously. At first he would have guessed that he was levitating, but that wasn't the right word for it.

"You should really stop doubting me." Riku smirked, his hand outstretched to maintain his dark barrier.

"Yeah, you'd think I would." Sora shook his head and slowly stood on his feet. "Alright, ready!" He took off leaping off the platform and into the air. Almost instantly Riku's barrier created a steady ground for his feet to land on. The two continued on this way, Sora would run while Riku produced a path leading up to the school of fish in question.

Sora paused above them, watching them occasionally flop above the waves. After a moment he materialized the keyblade back into his palm again. Squaring his feet he aimed the tip at the water's surface. "Float!

The magic released itself, flying into the water before expanding into a circular sphere of floating glowing purple light. The fish inside swam nervously as the younger boy looked on in wonder. He never would have thought of using the keyblade in this way before. Up until now it was only used for the purpose of fighting. It was a nice change. The keyblade could not only bring destruction or salvation, but it could apparently bring food as well.

"Think fast Sora, that won't hold for long." Riku called.

He nodded. "Right!" The fish encased in the gravity ball begin to twitch violently as the magic begin to fade. He quickly brought the blade up and pointed it at the catch. "Defense!" Again light shot from the tip encasing their prize in a sturdy prison of air. Satisfied he ran back to shore along Riku's quickly produced barriers, the aero bubble following behind him and the keyblade obediently. Upon reaching the shore he released the fish onto the sand. "So that's what you meant by special touch."

Riku emerged from the ocean soon after, ringing the extra water from his hair. "Yep, it's a good way to keep your magic sharp. You may not be aiming it at enemies but at least you're still practicing. That and if you're careful you won't affect the environment."

"That's true." The boys plopped down in the sand, drying their bodies in the warm sun. The silence that settled between them was a comfortable one that could only be gained between close friends that shared equal experiences. They had taken turns pulling each other from the darkness and lighting the way for one another when the path could not be seen. At time like this words were not needed, a familiar presence was just enough.

Besides, try as he might Sora couldn't muster up anything to say anyway. All the confidence that he had built up earlier had slowly evaporated. Knowing this did nothing to help still his heart. Now that the excitement of their sparring match was over and the job Kairi gave them had been completed, his mind had begin wondering again.

Riku's eyes had glazed over with a lazy look that told him his thoughts were lost somewhere in the tossing ocean waves. His hair clung to his face and shoulders, parting conveniently to let his lovely sea green eyes peak through. His lips were slightly parted and his bare chest rose and fell softly. "Say Riku," he begin," there's something I've been wanting to talk to you about."

"Yeah?"

Sora swallowed. "Well, I really thought about it and I-"

"Sora! Riku!"

Both boy's turned to the sound as Selphie neared. She bounced over in a white sundress, her hair pulled back into a short pony tail. "Yo, Selph." Riku waved, flashing her a charming little smile, which she returned.

"I see you boys got the food." She plopped down between the two, setting down a bundle of damp sticks. "You work fast, but then again if it's you and Riku there's nothing you both can't do."

"Think so?" Sora chuckled.

"Oh yes, you're amazing!" she spread the sticks out before them. "Kairi asked me to collect these to grill the fish on. I didn't expect you to catch so many though."

Riku shrugged. "You said yourself we're amazing."

"That's true, isn't it?"

The brunette sighed, ruffling his hair in frustration until he felt Riku's eyes on him. "So who else was supposed to be coming to this little get together?"

Selphie tilted her head, resting her chin in the palm of her hand for a moment. "Well, Wakka went back to the mainland to get drinks and plates. Tidus went to get firewood."

Riku straightened up, digging into his pants pocket until he pulled out a pocket knife. "Sounds like fun." he said, flipping it open to expose the blade.

"The fact that you handle that knife so well disturbs me more than the fact that you had the knife in the first place." Sora grumbled, receiving a dark chuckle from Riku in return.

The elder boy crossed his legs and begin the process of cleaning the fish. He picked up the closest one and begin to peel the scales from the body and clean the insides. The other two teens watched him carefully, occasionally Selphie's nose crinkled from the smell. Riku was quick, carefully removing the scales and leaving them in a neat pile in the sand. After a moment he started giving out directions. Sora was directed to take the scaled fish and rinse them off. Selphie was asked to help him.

She went and found a cooler. Sora filled it with sea water and then used his magic to boil it first, and then cool it with the power of ice so that the fish would be cleaned with fresh water. The trio continued on that way. Riku cleaned the fish while Selphie and Sora rinsed them. After a while the sun began to sink lazily beneath the horizon until the sky was panted a dark red.

When Riku was done he rinsed his hands in the ocean. They had more than enough food for everyone. Sora inched his way back over, having left Selphie to watch over the fish. "I didn't even know you knew how to clean fish."

He shrugged. "We live by the shore, wouldn't it be helpful to know something like that?"

The young brunette looked thoughtful for a moment. "Yeah, I suppose you're right." he sighed, dusting his pants off with his hands. "I wouldn't have known what to do. But I think I just remembered what I wanted to tell you."

"Oh yeah?"

"Well I've been thinking a lot lately and it comes down to this."

Riku nodded. "Mm-hm."

"Don't laugh but I really like-"

"Tidus."

Sora released the breath he was holding, running his fingers through his hair with a soft chuckle. "Yeah, Tidus, how did you-" he trailed off, blinking at his own error. Riku had gone off to meet the blonde boy halfway, taking a arm full of firewood so that he could carry it back to where Sora was."

Tidus followed in suit, setting the wood down a good distance from the shore so that he could start preparing the fire. "It took me longer than I thought to gather up this drift wood." he grinned.

"Did it?" Riku asked. "Good job anyway."

"Same at you guys. That's a lot of fish."

Selphie batted her eyelashes shyly. "Well you know they say that boys have bigger appetites."

Kairi was the next person to appear, carrying fruit with her. She had collected a variety of things, pineapples, apples, and a few coconuts. By this time Riku and Tidus had the firewood ready. All Sora had to do was apply a bit of fire magic, to the delight of the others, and the flames quickly ignited, leaping up high into the sky.

Together the cozy little group cheered. Selphie danced happily around the fire, while Kairi clapped out a rhythm to the beat of a old childhood song. Tidus accompanied them both in the singing with a air guitar. Riku smiled, spearing the clean fish upon the sticks Selphie supplied. It was a peaceful moment between friends, the beginning of a precious memory.

Sora begin to pick up a few sticks, moving to help Riku. "This is nice." The elder boy said after a moment. "I can't believe I almost lost myself and this place. I wouldn't be here right now, none of us would be."

"You still think about the past every now and then?"

"I can't help it." He smiled sadly. "The thoughts just pop up sometimes. It's hard to make them stop."

He knew that Riku had moments when he blamed himself. What he didn't know was how bad that blame hurt him. It was something that the other teen didn't really talk about. Maybe like him, Riku just didn't have the right words to express what he was feeling. "You know, I could make them stop." As soon as the words left his mouth, Sora blushed, shaking his head furiously. "I mean, if you just need someone to talk to I mean! So don't think anything weird! I just figured, that I could understand you better than the others since we've been through so much."

For a while there was no answer. The two just stared at each other, as if waiting for the other to blink first. While normally it would mean a staring contest for Sora, he knew personally that eye contact was just something Riku had always been adamant about. In the end the silver haired teen handed him a few pieces of skewered fish. "Put that on the fire." he said simply.

"Right." He moved away going to stick the food over the fire to cook. He didn't know what to say after that. Had he annoyed him? Maybe he just wanted time alone. It was hard to tell sometimes. All his attempts to open up to Riku had been either blocked or had failed.

He was beginning to feel discouraged. So much for confidence. In the end he never had the guts to say anything. The words would fill his heart until they became stuck. His chest had started to ache uncomfortably. Despite the fact that he was surrounded by good friend and the smell of cooking food he could not allow himself to relax with them.

Sometime in the middle of his own Musing Wakka had returned, plastic bags full of soda, paper, plates, napkins, and small sparklers. Together the group of friends passed food and drink around. Their laughter floating into the breeze until the sun became completely engulfed by the horizon. Slowly but surely the stars begin to come out to play. Even when they lay back content on the sand, gazing up at the sky the fire continued to burn.

Sora rose to his feet, walking to the slowly rising tide as it crept along the shore. He just didn't feel like being with the others at the moment. The sea seemed calmer somehow. Perhaps it too went to sleep at night just like everyone else.

"Are you full Sora?"

The brunette blinked slowly, turning his head to the voice. Riku had moved to stand beside him. "Yeah, thanks."

"You seem troubled."

"Do I?"

"Well yeah, you're always so vibrant. You shine like the sun itself when you're in a good mood.

He chuckled. "So what does that make me now?"

The older boy tilted his head thoughtfully, taking the time to actually consider the answer. "You're cloudy. That's the easiest way to describe you anyway. What's the matter?"

Sora shook his head. "I don't know. I've been trying to say something that's been on my mind for a while now. I just can't seem to get it out."

Riku wrapped his arms around the smaller boy's shoulders. "Say it like you say everything else; without thinking." He laughed. "You've always been a happy go lucky idiot. I don't see why that should change now."

The brunette sighed and pushed away from his friend. All day he had been trying to psyche himself up. He had spent hours in the mirror talking to himself like a idiot to prepare himself for this exact moment. He had given himself pep talk after pep talk and none of those things seemed to work. It was the end of the day and the feelings he had worked up to express were still wedged painfully in his chest.

"Sora? Is everything alright?" Riku asked, reaching out carefully, not completely making the effort to touch. Whatever had upset the young boy, he didn't want to risk touching him and making things worse.

"No! It's not alright! All day I've been trying to say something!"

"All day?" he repeated.

"Yes! All damned day!"

Riku rubbed at his chin. Thinking back on it, Sora did say there was something he wanted to say. "Did I ignore you? I didn't mean-"

"No! Either I would be to afraid to say anything or something would interrupt me!"

The older boy scoffed, amusement making his face soften to match the smile on his face. "Is that so?" Sora simply nodded. "Well I'm listening now what is it?"

He nodded again.

"Well?"

"Don't rush me!"

"I'm not!" Riku shrugged, failing to hide his amusement. Sora was incredibly irresistible when hen was being this cute.

It's not funny either."

"Okay."

He took in a breath, stepping back to so that he could clearly look Riku in the face without straining his neck. "I like you Riku. I like you a lot." he muttered, fidgeting uncomfortably.

For a moment there was no sound. There was only the two of them. The smell of the ocean didn't reach them, nor did the sound of. After a moment Sora released the breath he had been holding, something he noted, that he had been doing randomly all day. Slowly the sound of his heart pounding in his ears seemed so loud. Riku's breathing seemed just as uneven as his own.

The elder teen wet his lips with his tongue. "Sora I-"

"Riku! Sora! Fireworks!" The two boys broke apart, the sound of the waves returned, as well as the crackle of the fire. The laughter of their friends was there as well. The group had gathered around sparklers. Kairi waved them over, her smile bright.

Sora groaned. Riku gave him a casual shrug in response, patting him on the shoulder as they begin to walk back to the others. "We'll talk later. Come on."

The brunette nodded and followed. This interruption thing was slowly starting to become annoying.

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><p>Topazia: I always imagine Riku as this really cool figure. I hope I portrayed that in this first chapter. I'd hate for him to be too out of character though. In fact I hope they both resemble the original characters. lol!<p>

Have you ever confessed to someone before? Damn it's hard! Sora did okay despite the interruptions. What will Riku say in response? I'll give you a hint. Chapter Two is called: Unbalanced Kissing


	2. Chapter 2: Unbalanced Kissing

Topazia: Hello again! The first chapter and I've already received positive feedback. It's encouraging so thanks. Have you ever wondered what to do about these kids parents? I'm sure they have them. I wonder how their parents feel about their children disappearing for years at a time?

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><p>Chapter two: Unbalanced Kissing<p>

Sora carefully tied his boat to the dock the next morning. Yesterday had been more eventful than he had imagined. All in all it wasn't that bad. At least he finally got to tell Riku his true feelings. Unfortunately he never received a answer for said feelings, and so, here he was back on Destiny Islands.

The island seemed fairly empty today. All the signs of a party had been erased before they all went home to the main island. They cleaned up their childhood playground and retired for the evening. Naturally Riku would most likely be found on his island. So once again Sora made his way to the shed, trudged up the stairs leading to the bridge, and even walked across to the tiny paopu island where the legendary fruit was in full bloom. Sure enough Riku was there.

He lay stretched across the tree as if it were his personal bed, on arm draped lazily over his slightly sculpted stomach while the other dangled in the warm ocean breeze. For a moment Sora regretted having to disturb him until he heard, "What is it?"

The brunette jumped, startled by the sound coming from such a peaceful face. "Riku! I thought you were asleep!"

He sat up slowly, wiping what was left of his rest from his eyes. "I was, but I awoke when I felt your presence." Today he wore nothing but a pair of yellow and silver checkered swim trunks. His tennis shoes had long since been forgotten in the grass. Perhaps he had spent his morning swimming. He had always been such a active thing.

'You felt me?"

"Yeah, you don't survive very long in the darkness unless you can sense things." It was a cold, honest truth that was learned through experience. In the realm of darkness you had two choices: attack or be attacked. Darkness could always sense a heart. It was only a matter of reversal to since the dark. It simply took a matter of concentration. It was a trait that he developed so completely it became a almost constant habit.

Sora moved to sit beside his friend on the old bent tree. "About yesterday..."

Riku shook his head. "Yeah, I'm sorry, I should have paid more attention to you. I didn't even notice you had something to tell me." The brunette pouted, earning a soft laugh from his lips. "I really am sorry, but I can't help but feel confused."

"Confused?"

"Just a bit."

"About what?"

He shook his head. "I don't know how to receive your feelings." he said simply. "There was a part of me that was incredibly happy. There was another part that just knows I'll do something to hurt you." He destroyed their home, sent him on a hunt for friends that spread across the galaxy to new worlds. There probably wasn't much he could do to top that, but even little things could whittle a person down.

Sora smiled. "Then just be the part that wants to be Riku then." He answered quickly, as if the solution had been sitting before them the whole time on a silver platter. But then again he had always been that way.

"Just be the part that wants to be Riku, huh?"

"Well you can't be anything else but you. Whether you're good or evil, at the end of the day you will still be Riku."

The older boy brushed a few strands of hair behind his ear, allowing the sun's rays to fall fully onto his face again. "I think more than anything there's one thing that I want above all else."

"What's that?"

"I want to experience a certain fullness right here." He tapped Sora lightly on his chest, right where his heart lay nested within his chest. "I'll admit that being back home with you guys has helped build the sensation up, but maybe just once I can be full. That fullness that makes you feel warm to the point of bursting. I want that."

"Alright," he grabbed the boys fingers and laid the hand fully on his chest where his heartbeat drummed on. "I'll try my best to give you that. We'll just take our time okay?"

"Okay." Riku answered.

"Riku?" he shifted uneasily. "Can I have a kiss?" Smiling the older teen leaned forward, hovering over Sora until their forehead's touched and the brunette found himself drowning in the color of Riku's eyes and the scent in his silver hair. His mind hazed over, unable to form even the simplest of sentences. Ocean. Riku smelled just like the ocean.

Sora tilted his head up, rising to meet Riku's smirking lips. Their movement was slow and awkward as if either boy were afraid to spook the other until finally they met lightly in the middle with the slightest brushing of lips.

Get back here!" The two jerked apart suddenly, turning their attention to the beach behind them. Wakka raced across the sand with Titus not too far behind in second. A angry Selphie made up the rear. In her arms she held her infamous whip. "You think you could just hit me with your stupid ball and then get away with it!" The small girl pulled her arm back, swinging it forward until the whip in question hit the air with a resounding crack.

Tidus jumped, pushing hisself to run faster. "I said I was sorry Damnit!"

Wakka's laughter overpowered the both of them. It rang out crisp and clear in the morning sun. "If he hit ya, why do ya chase da both of us?" His talent to make light of any situation was amazing. There was nothing amusing in the least about a angry weapon wielding female.

"Because you were playing with him! That makes you just as guilty!"

Riku chuckled to himself, watching with a silent amusement that was so contagious that even Sora started grinning. "Maybe we should go someplace else?" he suggested. "I haven't eaten yet. I can fix us something back at the house."

Sora's face lit up. "Sounds good to me! Your dad let's you in the kitchen? My folks won't let me near the stove at all."

Riku stood slowly, stretched, and then begin slipping on his shoes. "Well, you know I don't have a mom. My dad stays gone a lot on business trips. So eventually I learned to cook for myself." The young brunette followed happily. So maybe their first kiss was ruined. There would be plenty of time back at Riku's house. The thought alone made Sora blush. For a young teen, a imagination could be a terrible thing. Well, not exactly terrible; it was more counter productive.

They made their way to the docks, waving goodbye to the trio as they continued to race their way along the shore. Their boats awaited them patiently, bobbing along the waves. Riku got in his first and untied the vessel from the dock. Sora did the same.

"Alright, I'll cook, but the last one back to the mainland has to do dishes."

"You're on! Hope you got a good apron dish boy!" Sora steadied the boat and readied the paddle, hovering it just above the water.

"Ready!" The silver haired teen called. Both boys tensed considerably. "Set!" Riku's game face had already been set for the challenge, his smirk ever present. Sora's eager grin filled his face with such excitement it was almost like staring into the face of a hyper puppy. Amazingly they could turn even the simplest things into a sport. Even something as trivial as going home. "Go!"

Their paddles broke the water, propelling them forward and out into the sea. It seemed like only yesterday they were racing to determine the name of their raft, or which person would get to eat a paopu with Kairi. Even after the years of traveling they were still able to do something as simple as this. It was best to enjoy their time while they could. Who knows when they would be called away again. The main difference about their future journeys would be that they would leave together. Never again would they play cat in mouse in attempt to catch up to one another.

Riku's face was boyishly handsome, free from his stoic expression that sometimes came with worry. For now there was just the sun, the smell of the water, their laughter, and the race. The boats continued on a crooked path all the way up to the shore, ending with Riku jumping out to touch land first. Sora tumbled out ungracefully in second place.

The brunette rolled on his back, laughing until his sides ached while Riku joined him. "Who's the dish boy now?" the elder boy gasped. "Hope you like aprons, we have a old pink one back home.

"Yeah, yeah." Riku stood first, dusting himself off before offering a hand to Sora so that they could continue the short trek back to the house. As small children they all lived in the same neighborhood. Riku's house was only a short distance from the docks. It was a impressive two story cream colored stucco house with impressive columns to support the deck on the second story.

The only thing protecting the greenery from the harsh sand was a small barrier of stones that acted like a fence. The grass was freshly cut and the flowers were well taken care off. The driveway was empty. Just as Riku stated, his father was not home. But then the boy's father rarely was. They walked into the yard of the beach front house. Riku fished a set of keys from his pocket an unlocked the door, to allow them both access.

Both boys removed their shoes respectively, leaving them on a shoe rack by the front door and taking slippers that were left for the house guests and family. It was easier to keep the floor clean this way. Constantly tracking sand back and forward made cleaning a real pain in the ass.

The entrance of Riku's house was a open foyer. The first thing you noticed was the large crystal chandler that dangled above. Just beyond the entrance was twin cherry wood staircases that spiraled up to the second story. between the stairway was a hallway that led to the kitchen, dining room, living room, and a old sun room.

Riku led the way through and entered the kitchen. He went straight for the fridge, fumbling around for something to fix. Sora followed behind, trailing his fingers along the black marble counter of the bar and sink area. Riku laid out several items: a pack of beef, bell peppers, onions, and a package of noodles. He made his way around the kitchen and produced a cutting board and a knife.

Sora watched carefully. The older boy started by pulling his hair back with rubber band so that it stayed away from his face. Next he washed his hands and the meet, and the vegetables. He started with the meet, tenderizing it before cutting it into thin pieces.

"For a second I thought you were angry with the food."

He laughed. "Did you now?" Setting his meat aside he cut the vegetables into small squares. When he was done he had the makings of a meal. Pulling a pan from one of the cabinets he greased the pain and turned on the oven, to let the mixture preheat.

"Don't think I'm too weird, but there's something strange about watching you do this."

"Is it?" He moved around, producing various seasonings and a vial of soy sauce.

"Yeah, it's," the brunette fumbled around for the right words, "damn attractive." Afterwards he paused, studying Riku's face. He was rewarded with a soft flush that spread across the other boy's face. "I don't care if we're trying this whole dating thing, it seemed kinda wrong to just call you outright hot."

He nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I would have looked at you strangely." He put a pot of water to boil for his noodles and begin moving the ingredients for his main course closer to the pan. He started by dropping pieces of beef into the skillet, stirring them occasionally so that they wouldn't stick. After all the meat was safely on the stove he lowered the fire and begin to add seasoning. Soon the kitchen filled with the delectable smell. He added soy sauce until it made a pretty gravy and next he added the onions and bell peppers.

"It's amazing that you can be so broody about hurting people but then you can turn around and do something as hard as this." Sora commented.

"Cooking isn't hard at all. You start off cutting yourself and setting various things on fire and if you don't won't that to happen you try to practice and get better."

"I think I'd burn rice if you'd let me."

"That's a comforting thought. Could you put the noodles on the counter into the boiling pot on the stove?"

"Sure." Sora slid from his chair, grabbing the package and moving to stand by Riku. He carefully opened the noodles and slid them into the water. Afterwards he peered over at the pot of beef and vegetables. Riku skewered a bell pepper on a fork, offering it to Sora to taste. After a few blows the younger boy took it and ate, sighing contentedly at the flavor as it hit his pallet. "That's pretty good!"

Riku smiled leaning down towards Sora's face. The brunette leaned up in response. With no one around their first kiss could be something truly special. The space between them shrunk. Anticipation rode heavy on the air. This was it.

Sora's nose bumped awkwardly into Riku's. In the end two broke apart. Riku finished his cooking while Sora returned to his seat. It wasn't the best of beginning for a couple but it was a start. When the food was done, the older teen retrieved two porcelain plates from the cabinet. He served the noodles first, and then covered them with the beef and vegetable mixture.

"Thanks for the meal." Sora grinned."

"No problem." Riku served them drinks and then sat down to eat as well.

"It's delicious."

"Thanks."

"Do you mind if I-"

"Stay for a while? No, not at all." When the food was gone and their stomachs full Riku placed the dishes in the sink and prepared water. After a moment he disappeared, returning with a pink kitchen apron. "For the loser."

Sora gaped. "You've got to be kidding me, seriously?"

"I did say the loser got to wash dishes. I just figured you didn't want to get your clothes dirty in the process." Grumbling the young brunette took the apron and began to wash. The silver hair teen watched, clearly amused as his friend and new love interest tolled away at the dishes. He was a clumsy little thing. Every now and then he would drop a dish back into the water and grumble when the fluid splashed back in his face. It seemed that the only time his hands were truly sturdy was when he held a keyblade. The apron itself was for no one in particular. As to why it was pink, even Riku did not know. I was probably a gag gift from one of his dad's friends. However watching Sora in it made him smile from ear to ear. It was a soft pastel pink that seemed to fit him, despite the ruffles that graced the edges.

He tilted his head, studying the back of Sora's head. That hair, although wild, was incredibly soft, there were a few fine hairs that curled gracefully at the nape of his neck. Riku found himself wondering how sensitive that area was. Perhaps that was a curiosity that would best be explored at a later time. For now they couldn't even manage to kiss right.

The apron wrapped around Sora, tying in the back in a with a bow like a present waiting to be unwrapped. After a while Riku stood, coming to stand behind Sora. The young boy tensed, pausing in his dish washing. Riku wrapped his arms around him carefully, it was a tender embrace, as if he what he held were the most fragile thing in the world. He sat there for a moment before burying his face into the side of the brunette's neck. He found a steady pulse there, along with a sweat scent that could only be described as Sora. The younger boy shuddered. Riku answered with a playful squeeze.

"Sora?" Riku's fingers found his chin, turning his head carefully so he could gaze into eyes that rivaled the color of the sky itself. The boy was curiously responsive, letting him turn him this way and that, and hold him in whatever way. His mind blanked, the only thing that mattered to him at the moment was the soft, round face in his hand. The face that dazedly blinked up at him was so pure he felt he would smear it. Part of him wanted to smear it, to paint it with just the right touch of darkness. Breath quickening, he positioned himself over Sora so that he could take in the view. The boy's breath was uneven against his face. His lips quivered with anticipation. Closer...closer...

And then the phone rang.

The pair separated. Riku smiled apologetically and crossed the room to answer it. "Hello?" Sora deflated, sinking back into his chair on the bar. Lips poking out he pouted in the boy's direction. "Oh, father. How's the trip?" His fingers idly twirled around the cord. It seemed like something done out of boredom. "I'm glad everything's going so well. How long will you be staying?" He paused, eyes going around the room for no particular reason. "That's fine. No dad, I'm fine. Take care of yourself. Goodbye."

"What happened?"

"Nothing, he was just checking in. He'll be gone for the rest of the month." He sighed, tugging his hair free from the rubber band. "He does that sometimes. When you're done with the dishes, you can come up to my room." With that he left Sora alone.

The room was cold without his presence. Or maybe it was more of the house being cold. Riku stayed in this empty home by himself most of the time. His dad would just send him money and gifts. He quickly finished his chores, making sure not to leave a mess. He wandered back to the foyer where the twin stairs were and took the left one that led to Riku's room. The hallway was dim and mostly empty, with the occasional picture decorating the walls.

Before he even reached the room he could hear the television. The door to Riku's room was cracked open, allowing a small glimpse into the interior. He was a surprisingly tidy person. There was a bed against the right side of wall. Opposite from that was a big screen LCD television. Opposite of the door was a computer desk and bookshelf that held various novels and trophies.

He lay stretched out on his back, one arm thrown carelessly over his face. Sora entered timidly, inching inside until he was able to sit at the edge of the bed. Riku never moved. At first he said nothing. However after a moment when he received no response he sighed and pulled the arm away from the boy's face. The limb was surprisingly limp. There wasn't even the slightest bit of resistance. Riku's face was once again that beautiful brooding mask. The one he often put on when he didn't want others to know what he was thinking. It was possibly one of the best blank faces he had ever seen. "Are you angry with him?"

"I don't think I am."

"Then what do you think?"

"That, maybe I left because I hated this place." he responded. "It took me actually leaving to realize how much I truly loved it though. This is my home. This is your home. My friends are here. I rushed off, looking for excitement and something I had no clue how to find."

"What were you trying to find?"

He shook his head. "It's, nothing important. The only thing I did manage to find was trouble." he paused a ghost of a smile of his face. "Not all of it was bad."

"Why does your dad not come home anymore?"

"After mom died he started to change. I suppose I was just extra baggage from the wife he lost. I'm a painful reminder I guess." he shrugged his broad shoulders. "We never know what to say to each other anyway when he's here. We live in the same house but we live separately if that makes sense."

"I guess it does." Sora scooted closer. "You like making yourself miserable don't you?"

"...What?"

"Why do you always try to take on everything by yourself." he scolded. "It's exactly that antisocial behavior that got you into trouble in the first place!" He placed a hand on each side of the boys face and forced their eyes to meet. "When there's something that bothers you, why can't you just tell me?"

"Tell you?"

Sora nodded. "I thought about what you said earlier. Call me stupid or whatever; I don't care. But I understand what you mean by wanting your heart to feel like it's full to the brim." he gently leaned over, laying his forehead against Riku's until the older boy's eyes crossed slowly. He snuggled the rest of the way onto the bed, settling his body against the stronger frame like a missing piece of a puzzle.

"You don't have to be lonely anymore. No matter if this house is empty and you find yourself alone, or if the island disappears and you're the only one left. I'll always find you no matter what Riku."

He blinked those sea green eyes slowly, his mouth struggling to form words that his brain had not yet pieced together. What could he possibly say to something like that? Nothing, that's what; and in that moment no words were needed. Sora leaned in, pressing his lips gently against Riku's own. His lips were soft and warm, and they quivered ever so slightly but after a moment they became responsive.

Riku encased Sora in the circle of his arms holding him tight like a much needed life support. They kissed again to make up for the first interrupted attempt, a innocent pressing of lips. Then again for the mishap in the kitchen, and one more time to make up for when the phone rang; and then once more for the hell of it. They kissed because they could, because it felt wonderful, and because that one simple motion ignited a connection so deep they never wanted it to end. When it was over they lay curled in Riku's sheets, simply enjoying the quiet company of one another.

The hours passed by quietly, leaving them comfortably undisturbed. At some point they even fell asleep. The sun followed it's normal path across the sky, disappearing behind, trees, buildings and finally the horizon. Almost like clockwork Riku rolled from bed, careful not to disturb Sora. The brunette who tossed irritably, curling his body around the boy's vacant pillow. He went to the far wall, pushing aside curtains to reveal a door and a small patio.

Every day since he had returned, he had begun what was slowly becoming some form of ritual. Opening the door Riku stepped out onto the small patio. The night sky was slowly darkening. The ocean could be heard loud and clear as it crashed against the mainland shore, swallowing the sand like a creeping darkness.

Sitting on the rail of the small patio was a candle and a lighter. Carefully shielding the wick from the coastal winds he lit the candle, positioning it on the ground in a place where it could burn safely. He sat beside it, watching the flame dance and flicker.

He did this every day without fail since he had returned. "I hope that this becomes your lighthouse in a sea of darkness." he muttered in almost prayer like trance. "You're alive, I know you are. This is not in memory of you. This is just to let you know there's someone waiting at home." Smiling he shook his head to correct his mistake. "Well, not so much home as there's someone waiting to lead you back to safety."

He raised a hand to rest on his chest. Was the tugging sensation on his heart a faint response? Or maybe it was just his mind playing tricks on him. A while back he had learned of the importance memories had over the chains that linked you to others hearts. Either way he would continue to light a candle in this very spot until his beacon would no longer be needed. He knew personally that sometimes the only way to win against the deepest darkness was with the help of a good friend or loved one. He paused suddenly, tensing out of habit. There were just some things he learned from battle that were hard to unlearn. Riku knew without even looking that Sora was there staring holes into the back of his head. "Did I wake you?"

"No." he shook his head timidly, frowning at his own foolishness almost immediately. Unless Riku had eyes in the back of his head, normal gestures were pointless. "I woke up on my own. The bed was kinda cold."

"Sorry, I do this every night."

The brunette approached carefully from behind coming to sit beside in and the candle. "Is it for your mom?"

"No, she's been gone for years. I feel like lighting candles for her is a bit sad. Seeing as she'd have to come from heaven to visit her foolish son when she should be resting." He smiled. "I do honor her for the other special occasions though."

"That's a interesting take on it."

"Isn't it though?"

He shrugged, nodding at the candle and it's hypnotic dancing flame. "So who is it for?"

"Someone important to me. I just wanted to leave the light on for them. That's all." Sora smiled softly, scooting over until he could huddle beside Riku in the chilly night air. For some reason at that moment, more than anything Riku seemed to just need the comfort of another. Together they sat quietly watching the blanket of stars.

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><p>Topazia: I didn't feel the need to go into detail about Sora's parents. He seemed like he would have a pretty good life. That's what I assumed anyway. Riku's parents were added to kinda contrast Sora's home situation. That and I kinda thought it fit some how. At least they got through the whole day quietly...sort of... Also...this chapter made me hungry. lol The next chapter is called Exploration. *Grins* ...I wonder why?<p>

Oh, and thanks for the reviews! It's nice to know someone appreciates my writing. LOL! I want to ask you guys something. If Sora and Riku could go on a date, where would they go? Give me some ideas and you might see yours in a upcoming chapter. Of course, I'll give you credit for it. I just...don't know where to write them. Totally drawing a blank ._.


	3. Chapter 3: Exploration

Topazia: Oh my god, I hate it when the internet goes off. I thought I was going to go crazy. LOL. Thanks for the input from the last chapter. I'll add it in chapter 5 actually.

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><p>Chapter three: Exploration<p>

Sora awoke the next day tangled in a mess of Riku's covers. They retired after about a hour of star gazing last night. Riku refused to answer to many questions about the candle, or even who the vigil was for. So far the only thing he did know was that it was for someone special and that special person was not his mother.

To prevent himself from becoming too much of a nag he simply let the subject go. It was obviously too personal of a subject to keep pressing. Admittedly he was a bit jealous. It was a silly little emotion to say that they just started dating. Or were they dating? Again he had brought to mind another nagging thought.

Taking in a deep breath he took in the scent of the room. The air was thick with water, probably from the shower. The smell Riku's shampoo and soap filled the room like a sweat perfume. There was a bathroom connected to the bedroom. The light was on but the shower was not. It could only be assumed that the older boy was not in it.

Sora crawled out of bed, rubbing sleep from his eyes. He took a moment to stretch and then headed downstairs. His stomach protested, gurgling much like a fussy child. "Morning." Riku called.

The brunette nodded his response, rubbing at his face again for good measure. The silver haired teen stood at the sink, jeans hanging loose on his waist. His chest was completely bare, the only cloth covering his torso was a folded towel around his neck. His hair was damp. "Morning."

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah, I did."

He picked up a glass of milk, putting it to his lips with the slightest of smiles. "Good." He said before beginning to drink.

Sora watched him carefully. He Stared at the way the boy's lips parted to except the cool white liquid and the mesmerizing pulse in his neck for every swallow. "Riku I've been meaning to ask," He stammered after a moment. Soon he found himself swallowing as well, despite having nothing to drink of is own.

"hmm? What is it?"

"Does this mean we're a couple? A dating couple?"

Riku blinked and then set the cup down, going to stand before Sora. "We can be whatever you want to be. Weren't you the one that said we'd take things a day at a time?"

He nodded. "Yeah I did." He inhaled again. Riku's shower must have been a good one. The soap that had been used had a subtle scent to it. It wasn't too powerful. The shampoo was something fruity, but beneath all of that was a completely different smell. "You smell nice? What is that?"

"Hopefully soap."

"No," he shook his head, "I smell that." Bracing himself on the taller boy's shoulders he leaned up to bury his face in Riku's neck. The elder teen tensed, choosing to brace his friend around the waist. "This is a different smell. It's nice." Sora nuzzled the spot, receiving a shudder as a reward.

Riku never seemed like the type to wear cologne. In fact, there was never a point in time when he did. So perhaps this new smell was just simply Riku? It was barely noticeable, as if it were shy and trying to hide. It almost blended in with the other smells, or perhaps that was not it. It was more like the shampoo and soap enhanced it.

The scent was difficult to describe. It was a mixture of many familiar scents. For instance, it reminded him of being blanketed in the warmed of the ocean breeze. Sora inhaled again, relaxing a bit more against the firmness of Riku. If it were possibly he could spend all day next to that smell.

"You look like a kitten."

"A what?" the brunette stumbled back, a frown on his face. "Where did I just go?"

"Into me for a sec there."

"No I mean, You smelled nice. So I went to get a better smell and my brain went stupid."

Riku snickered, pulling two bowls, spoons, and a box of cereal from the cabinets. "That's pheromones for you."

"Phero-what now?"

Laughing he fixed a bowl for both, passing one to Sora so they could eat together. "Pheromones are funny little chemicals that are released through sweat."

"And that means what?"

"It means that when I release said chemicals I become hella more attractive to you."

"You can do that?" he gaped.

"I don't know when I do it. It just kinda happens. You do it too stupid. Everyone does I should think."

Breakfast was quiet. Riku in particular had nothing to say, while Sora was lost in his thoughts. Pheromones were a confusing, dangerous thing. The fact that Riku knew about them was another curious matter as well. How long had he known? How much intimate experience had he gained before their relationship even began?

The mental questions piled up until the sound of clinking dishes in the sink snapped him from his daze. Following in suit the brunette got up and placed his empty bowl in the sink to be washed. "Riku, have you ever had," he paused, "you know, sex?"

The elder boy gave him a considering look. "Me? Not yet, but I do think about it. Looks like you'll be my very first Sora." He brought a hand up to caress the side of Sora's face. "Please take good care of me, kay?"

"Shouldn't I say that? You're much bigger than me."

"I like you the size that you are." He nuzzled.

"So does that mean that you want to have sex with me?"

"Oh yes."

"R-really?"

"Mm-hmm."

"But we haven't even fooled around yet!"

Riku scratched at his head, leaning back against the sink with his face blank. It was the perfect mask of beauty. "I know that." He stated simply. "I'm in no rush to sleep with you Sora. It will happen eventually."

"That makes you sound like a bit of a rapist." He pouted, eyes falling to the floor. "Pervert. Sexual deviant."

The silver haired teen gave a slow blink and then smiled, closing the space between them so that his front lay pressed against Sora. "Sex is something special don't you think?" he muttered, dropping his voice down a octave to a husky whisper. "I don't mean special as in the whole virgin thing, not that the notion isn't nice. I mean that sex is the most intimate act two lovers can engage in." He breathed the words into the brunette's ear, smiling at the sudden reaction that he received.

Sora's body trembled, a fine steady motion that brought dark desires to the surface of his mind. Part of him wanted to see just how much he could get Sora to react to his touch. "The fact that I want to have sex with you should tell you my true feelings. I want to share that with only you." Lower, he traveled from the ear, down to where the long stretch of neck started, decorated with soft curls of brown hair. "I won't rush it. Because Sex shouldn't be rushed. It should happen in a instant."

"A instant?"

"Yes, I want our bodies to be so sure, that our minds won't question at thing." Riku kissed the area. A resounding gasp was his reward. "Don't you think that would be best?"

"…."

"Come again?" Another kiss, this time with the added bonus of a wet tongue.

Sora's body jerked. "..ss…!"

This time Riku licked the spot slowly, teasing patterns into his neck before slowly biting down. "I didn't catch that."

"Ah, yes!" He blinked wide blue eyes up at him, bringing a hand up to cover the spot on his neck. Riku smiled down at him, his face pleasantly neutral. If Sora had to guess, he was pretty sure the snake in the garden of Eden had given Eve a face very similar. The elder boy had given him some space, but the sensation was still there. The feel of Riku's tongue teasing at his skin was still very fresh.

"You okay?"

"Ye-yeah." He said after a moment. "Don't think too bad of me but I wouldn't mind doing that again."

For a moment something primal seemed to dance behind those sea green eyes. Or perhaps dance wasn't a accurate term. In Riku's case, it would be better to say that it swam. "I figured you'd say something like that."

"And what does that mean!"

"It means you're just as curious as I am. I want to know how you work."

"How I work? What the hell does that me-" Whatever words he started to form were stolen away by Riku's lips pressed against his own. Surprise made Sora tense a bit, not that this deterred Riku one bit. The silver haired teen lifted the younger boy's chin, turning his face a bit to change the nature of their kiss.

A tongue; that was what Sora felt brush along his lips. What started out as a innocent pressing of lips, suddenly grew into something more seductive. Again, Riku prodded at the entrance of his mouth, tracing both the bottom and top until the brunette gave way, crumbling against him as a shuddering bundle of nerves. His lips parted and that was the only encouragement the older boy needed.

Riku's tongue slipped inside the warmth Sora's mouth, exploring it carefully as if he were committing it to memory. He brushed the roof of Sora's mouth, holding the smaller teen close as the body in his arms twitched, unable to decide what to do with the new sensation. It took a bit of coaxing on his part, but a few gentle strokes from his tongue brought the brunette's own out to play.

Together they danced around, timidly teasing and rubbing along each other until both involved parties were red in the face. Riku pulled away first and Sora whimpered. His face was flushed a pretty dark red. His eyes were unfocused, occasionally disappearing behind his fluttering lids. The expression only seemed to add Riku's skin hunger. "That was….fun."

"Fun?" Sora repeated. He was still out of it. His first French kiss left him incredibly light headed and aroused. "You have, a strange sense of fun."

"Yes, I do." He answered. "In fact it was so much fun, I think I'll do it again." He bent again, brushing his lips along Sora's. This time the brunette was more receptive, leaning up eagerly to meet him. After a moment their lips parted. Sora shuddered with anticipation. Riku inhaled sharply, sliding his hands to rest at the small of his back and then…the doorbell rang.

"Really?" Sora groaned, a sound which Riku echoed. Every goddamned time something always got in the way. The elder teen backed away, turning to head to the door just as the chiming bells echoed through the house a second time.

"Just a minute!" Before Riku's hands even grasped the handle to the door he knew who it was. Kairi's vibrant red hair showed through the glass of the front door. After a moment he opened it and was rewarded with one of her pleasant smiles.

"You seem agitated." She said mischievously. "Did I interrupt something?"

"No not at all."

"Then can I come in? I have something I wanted to talk about." He stepped aside, allowing her entrance into the house. "Excuse me." She stepped in, carefully going around to avoid the door as it was closed behind her.

Sora peeked his head from the kitchen. "Kairi?"

"Sora? You're here too?" she tilted her head curiously, glancing between the two. "It's not that surprising though. It's probably for the best. I was just telling Riku that there was something I wanted to talk to him about. It evolves you too though."

"Did you find another letter from the king?" Sora's eyes lit up like a Christmas Tree at Central Square. The aspect of another adventure was exciting to all of them, but not as much as Sora. His exploits in the different worlds had gained him friendships on every foreign land he had touched down on. It was only natural that he'd be glad to return to them.

She giggled. "No, not exactly. I wanted you two to realize that life isn't all adventures."

"Well isn't that obvious?" Riku stated.

"Is it?" She cast a glance in Sora's direction and he followed, studying the brunette's face for a moment.

"Maybe not."

"I'm glad that we've had this discussion." Kairi sighed, twirling her fingers together. "You two have been gone for so long. I want you to start thinking about life outside of traveling and endless battles. I want you to think about home."

Sora nodded. "Well we did that enough. It's only natural to miss home when you leave it for long."

She shook her head. "No you idiot. I want you two to get ready for school. There's no telling when you'll be called away again. Did you think you could just sit around and do nothing while the rest of us continued on with our lives?" She paused for emphasis, taking the time to focus on each individual face. "When we get up for school were you just going to watch us go like it doesn't involve you?"

"She's right, we need something to fall back on." Riku agreed. "Putting Keyblade Master on a resume will only get you locked up. It doesn't exist here." Sora looked crestfallen.

"Of course I'm right. When you two leave the world here still goes on!"

"Well what do you want us to do Kairi?" Sora asked.

"You still have some time until the school year starts. I want to start getting you guys registered and get your uniforms picked out."

The two boys stared at each other. "Uniforms?" Riku repeated.

"School?" Sora groaned, face twisted as if he smelled something particularly sour.

"Yes." The redhead stamped her feet angrily, hands going to her hips in that no nonsense manner. "You need school and the damned uniforms. Now let's go! After that you'll need to start preparing for the placement exams; or did you two want to be the tallest idiots in middle school?"

The two boys shook their heads. Riku was a grade older than them. Despite this no one corrected the mistake. For some reason, it was hard to believe that life had continued even through their absence. Sora at one point had befriended teens in the middle of summer vacation. However that was a different world that had nothing to do with his own education. If things worked out they would be heading to high school together. Sora would be a sophomore and Riku would be a junior.

The young princess smiled, seemingly satisfied with their answer. She turned and quietly headed back through the front door and her companions followed in suit. On the way out Riku grabbed his keys. "One of these days I should really get my license." He locked the front door to his house, leading the small group down the driveway of his home.

"That's true." Sora grinned.

The threesome began their trek into town. "Your father is going to buy you a car Riku?" Kairi asked.

"Yeah, it would mean he wouldn't have to take me places. I just have to get my license and then fax him a copy of it as proof."

"He sounds more like a boss than a father." Sora frowned, crinkling his nose a bit. He always had a difficult time understanding the relationship his best friend had with his father. Something told him that things would be different if the boy's mother was still around. Unfortunately, a fatal car accident removed her from this world and into the next. Luckily the elder teen never went without his basic needs, and whatever he lacked, Sora's family could willingly provided. In fact his mother happily provided Riku with home cooked meals on occasions. Although, the only thing Riku truly lacked was the comfort of other humans. He lacked a family.

Riku shrugged. "I don't really mind. He's been distant for years now. It's not like it's a big shock. It's just something you grow used too."

"And on a happier note," Kairi interrupted, "Riku you're a summer baby aren't you? Your birthday should be coming up soon."

"It is."

"Have you thought about what you wanted to do?"

He smiled thoughtfully. "No actually, in fact I probably would have forgot."

Sora grinned. "That's great!" The outburst earned him a look from his companions. "Well, it's not great that you'd forget your birthday." He stammered, struggling to fix the mistake. "I just meant it was great because we could do something for you…since…you don't have any plans." He deflated towards the end, trailing off like a defeated puppy.

Riku broke first, his laughter breaking the awkward silence that had settled between them. Kairi followed in suit, stifling her giggles behind her hands and Sora eventually joined them. Laughter was a contagious little thing that followed them all the way to the mall.

The mall was only a short bus ride away. The city's metro system had a stop that dropped them off a few feet from the entrance. Together they traversed across the parking lot and into the building. Their mall wasn't grand. There were no extravagant waterfalls or monuments. It was just a mall. There were three stories of various shops. The first floor held the food court. The stores where in no particular order.

Once inside there was a soft sort of ambiance. Voices mixed with various movements to create the soft echoing music that made up mall noise. Together the three blended in with the crowds. Kairi placed herself in the middle, connecting both the boys by clasping her hands around theirs. She led them cheerfully towards one of the largest clothing stores in the mall.

Sora glanced around curiously while Riku looked downright uncomfortable. The brunette was naturally a people person, while the elder boy still seemed more withdrawn. "We won't be long." She said. "We just need to get your uniforms."

"Alright." Riku answered after a while.

The clothing department was laid out like most stores. Each section was labeled to make the place easier to navigate. The section for school uniforms was towards the back. "We have a simple uniform." The redhead explained pulling a shirt and skirt from the racks. "See? The shirt is a white button up, and the bottom is blue and white with a plaid pattern." She held the assemble up to herself for them to see. "Pick your sizes and go try them on."

"I hope they have that skirt in my size." Riku smiled.

"Oh haha smart ass. You knew what I was trying to do!"

Sora snickered nudging his friend in the side. The two boys wandered through the rows of uniforms, picking out their sizes before disappearing into the dressing rooms. Kairi picked out two ties and then waited.

Riku emerged first, his blue and white plaid pants fit him nicely. The shirt was only halfway buttoned. As if he had started but then got lazy towards the end. The open buttons left a good portion of his upper chest exposed. "I don't think that's part of the dress code you know." Kairi smiled. She buttoned the shirt the rest of the way, leaning up on her tip toes to put the tie around his neck. "I got this for you guys too. We're all required to wear them, even the girls."

"Thanks."

She shook her head, tying the knot into place. "It's fine. We're friends after all." He flashed her a smile, one that she shyly returned.

"How do I look?" Sora walked out of the dressing room grinning. New clothes were always so much fun.

"Like a idiot in a candy store." Riku answered.

Kairi giggled and adjusted Sora's outfit as well, taking the time to add a tie at the end. "I'm glad we could do this before the back to school rushes started." She added. "You guys look great. By a few of them while you're here and then we can head to the bookstore."

"Bookstore?" Sora asked.

"You have to take a placement test remember?"

The brunette looked disappointed for a moment. "Oh yeah, I'm not so good at tests. In fact, I'm pretty damned bad at them."

"It's okay, I'll tutor you." Riku placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You'll be fine."

"Yeah, but what about you? Aren't you worried about the test to-" He paused. The look Riku gave him stopped the rest of his thought process. It was a slightly condescending yet amused look. It was a glance that spoke volumes. Clearly h had said something silly. "Right, you're a smart ass."

"You'll be fine." He repeated. Riku went back to the racks, picking out a few more copies of the uniform. Sora did the same. When they were done, Kairi met them at the register.

The clerk on duty smiled warmly at Riku, batting her lashes shyly. Pheromones were truly a powerful thing. Riku must have been full of them. Or at least that's what Sora thought as he watched. No matter what he did, Sora never had the same affect on women as Riku. Their perspective reactions were like night and day. Then again, Riku was different in many ways. He was tall, and very good looking. In fact, just the features in his face alone were eye catching. His skin was flawless, his eyes peeked out from beneath thick dark lashes. His hair was a unusually exotic color, not to mention natural. His body was nice to look at as well. Anything he placed on his body seemed to fall into place perfectly.

Sora pouted after a moment. How the hell could he compete with something like that? Then again, why should he care? He was dating Riku. Didn't that mean that he totally won? "Did you find everything you needed today?" The clerk asked, spouting out the rehearsed line.

"Yeah, thanks." Riku answered first, placing his new uniforms onto the counter. He glanced back at his other two companions. "Sora, put yours up here too. I'll pay for it."

"Ah, really? I have money you know."

He shook his head. "I know." He answered. "Save it for something else. Maybe someday you'll need to buy me something."

Sora hesitated at first but then complied, laying his bunch of clothes next to Riku's. The clerk did her job, scanning each item so the register could produce a total. Riku dug around and fished out his wallet. One swipe of a card and the transaction was done. Both boys left the counter with bags and Kairi settled in between them. "That was nice of you Riku." She said.

"It's not like I really use it. Besides, I don't mind." They exited the store and headed back into the masses. Their next stop was the local bookstore.

Kairi took them directly to a specific area dedicated to grade level workbooks. "These should help." She said. "Working through these should put you right where you need to be."

"I didn't think I'd be spending the rest of my summer break studying." Sora grimaced.

"It's for your own good. Think of it this way. When you both pass we'll go to school together."

"That's true."

Riku quietly shifted through a few books and picked up a few. When he was done he went to the counter and paid for those as well. "We'll share these. Since I'll be tutoring you anyway I figured it wouldn't be a problem."

"Thanks!"

"We should start tomorrow. How about your place?"

"Sure, mom would be happy to have you over."

"I'm happy the two of you are adjusting to this so well." Kairi said. With a bag of books and uniforms the trio began to exit the mall all together. "You'll be fine, I know you will."

"Yeah, it's just a matter of getting back into the swing of things." Riku shrugged. "It's nothing compared to what we've been through and seen already."

"I suppose so." She pouted playfully. "But it is high school. I've only been through one year and it makes me miserable."

"Who you? I never thought I'd hear that from our precious little preppy princess."

"And what's that supposed to mean!"

They hadn't even noticed, while walking the entrance to the mall had come and gone. The expanse of the parking lot was stretched out before them. The distance to the bus stop was slowly approaching and in that time they had managed to isolate themselves.

Sora said nothing, instead he just watched. Normally it was a happy feeling to sit and watch his friends bicker playfully. In fact, he would join in happily. Now it seemed painful. It was a despicable feeling. However knowing that it was despicable did nothing to ease the feeling of bitterness. They had walked ahead, leaving him to fall behind. The gap between them was slowly getting larger. Although, that last part was mostly his own fault. For some reason he wanted to watch Riku and Kairi as they interacted.

Riku would say something playful and Kairi's face would light up. Her response was usually something quick and sassy or sometimes she would even shove at him. He would then laugh, which would produce a even greater response. Kairi was very pretty, she always had been. That same prettiness had grown into a subtle beauty over the years as he had been adventuring. She was a lovely young woman now. Her heart shaped face was always lively with expression. She was adorably petite but strong in her own way. Standing besides Riku she looked just like her title suggested; a princess. Riku was simply her dark knight. Perhaps dark Prince Charming was a better title.

They continued on that way while Sora quietly observed. Kairi didn't know that they were kinda dating. Nether him, nor Riku had said a word to anyone yet for whatever reason. Two guys dating wasn't always socially acceptable. Was Riku ashamed? Maybe he would be better off dating Kairi since they looked so perfect together.

To be honest, Riku had never even once really verbally returned his feelings. It took Sora weeks to work up the courage to say three little words; _I like you._ Riku hadn't said them once. Did he even truly like him that way? The brunette rubbed at his head furiously. Now wasn't the time for such things. He was just being stupid. Despite his attempts, nothing seemed to disperse the negative thoughts in his head. They haven't even been together that long and he was already having jealous feelings? It was ridiculous. Then again Kairi did have certain aspects that he didn't; the female anatomy for instance. Riku may wake up one day and decide he'd prefer her softness over the lean muscles Sora had slowly come into.

"Sora!" It was Riku's voice that called him back to himself. He blinked suddenly, his expression dazed. Riku and Kairi had made it to the bus stop. He had stopped somewhere a few feet away. He had no clue when he had stopped moving or why. "Are you okay? What's wrong?" Kari stood beside him quietly, her brows wrinkled with worry.

"Nothing!" He answered. He even managed a small smile. "I suddenly had the feeling that I had forgotten something. I was trying to remember what it was." He crossed the rest of the parking lot, going to sit next to his two best friends. Sora sat in the middle, Kairi to his right, and Riku to his right like some astral seating chart. Unconsciously they had sat this way for years. The brunette felt the elder boy's eyes on him, but didn't bother to return the gaze. Not now, he just couldn't meet that gaze while his head felt so full.

Kairi's voice sounded far away. "I thought you were sick for a moment..." She said something afterwards but it was lost, drowned out by the sound of his thoughts. For the first time he viewed Kairi as a possible obstacle. She had always been something delicate to protect in the past. She was a dear friend to come home to; but now, watching her converse with Riku, Sora saw her as a threat. Kairi smiled shyly and occasionally brushed her hair playfully behind her ears. She sat close enough to Riku so that their bodies from the hip down touched.

In that moment Sora felt something stir within him. It was a odd sensation that he could vaguely remember. It was something that developed recently during his last adventure. It was something dark. He felt it stretch somewhere deep inside him like some lazy cat slowly awaking from a deep sleep.

…_Dark thoughts are still essentially darkness…_

And just like that the sensation was gone. Sora exhaled, placing a hand over his chest for a moment. The feeling of uneasiness and even the jealous thoughts had disappeared. He glanced around for the source of the voice. Riku and Kairi stared back at him curiously. So he did the only thing he could think of at the time. He smiled and simply said; "It's nothing."

* * *

><p>Topazia: I truly enjoy interrupting Sora and Riku at the oddest times. One day it will come to a point where there will be no interruptions. It always feels so awkward writing any amount of sexual scenes. As a result, I feel like they are not as good as they could be. I'll work really hard to get better! Promise! I also like reading the comments. Your suggestions for date places are awesome. The candle that was mentioned in the previous chapter will come back into play again soon. At least that's the plan. I like the fact that Riku has a personal secret that he keeps from Sora. It drives the poor thing absolutely nuts. He seems like the nosy type.<p>

The next chapter will introduce Sora's family. I figured he would have a older brother, it's no one from the KH or FF series. But he is a Tetsuya Nomura creation. Based on those clues, can anyone guess who this older brother may be? On a random note, SHR0UD you are some kinda awesome. It's not every day that I find a guy reading my fiction.


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